Ohio Lottery backs GTECH, Lottomatica deal

The Ohio lottery has confirmed that the planned takeover of U.S. lottery operator GTECH by Italy's Lottomatica would not hurt GTECH's lottery concession there, Lottomatica said on Thursday.

Lottomatica plans to buy GTECH in a $5 billion deal that would create the world's biggest lottery operator, but one of the deal conditions laid down by Lottomatica is that it would not lose GTECH's lottery operating concessions in the United States.

Illinois, New York, Missouri, California, Michigan and Rhode Island lotteries have already said the takeover would not affect the operating concessions.

Most U.S. states asked auditing firms to carry out background checks, but Texas asked police to investigate and there, concerns have been voiced over four GTECH concession contracts.

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